Amritsar, August 1, 2013: The governor of Himachal Pardeshhas directed deputy commissioner of Una to declare revered area of Mata Chintpurni temple as non-vegetarian and liquor-free zone. 

The directions to Una administration has been issued following suggestions of Amritsar-based Spiritual Growth Committee. 

Situated about 172 kilometres from Amritsar, Chintapurni temple is one of the richest temple of Himachal Pardesh. The Mata Chintpurni Temples construed as one of the most revered temples of Goddess in the country. 

Member of Spiritual Growth Committee Rajneesh Khosla informed TOI on Thursday that the secretary to the governor of Himachal Pardesh in its orders issued on July 13, 2013, a copy of which his with TOI, has issued directions to Una administration to declare area of Shri Mata Chintpurni temple as non-vegetarian and liquor-free zone. 

In the orders the governor had also directed Una administration to intimate Governor office about the action taken to this regards. 

He said that he had suggested the Governor to ban the sale of non vegetarian and liquor on the lines of Katra town of Jammu and Kashmir which is on way to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. 

"This will help to maintain the sanctity and sacredness of the holy town which is also the base camp of Sri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage," said Nambardar of village Chintpurni and former Trustee, Temple Trust Chintpurni, Kailash Kalia. He informed that temple's annual earnings were around Rs 29 crore. 

Khosla said that the village Charporh which later came to be known as Chintpurni has developed only due to religious significance and devotee's footfall. "Even the locals and the visiting devotees had been demanding ban on sale of meat, egg and liquor in Chintpurni," said Khosla.

Source: The Times of India, August 1, 2013